Have a look at dictionaries. The many definitions often contradict each-other. And the mainstrean definitions are not the same according to the language.
Some definition places Zionism historically in the past. Most place it also in the present.
People disagree on what is the NATURE of Zionism. Some say it is an ideology. Some say it is a religious movement. Some say it is a political movement. Many do not know what to say about the nature of the movement.
People also disagree about the PURPOSE of the movement. Some say the purpose is to create a Jewish Nation. Some say the Jewish Nation has always existed, even when Jews were dissaminated. Some say the purpose is a Jewish State. Some say the purpose is to establish a Refuge State. Etc etc etc
Of course, a Jewish State and a Refuge State for the Jews have quite different implications. The first is a religious state (among other religious states in the Middle East), and the second can be a democracy (depending on the definition of the State & structure of Citizenship, etc etc).
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The discussion about the PERIMETER of the ‘’homeland’’ is an endless discussion. Many Peoples had their homeland in this area before the Israelites.
The Bible tells us that the Israelites were foreigners in the country of Canaan (Gen. 17:8). There is also Gen. 15:18–21 which defines the Greater Israel : from Euphrates to the Nile. Which homeland are we talking about ? Is it as per the Bible ? Is it the land as per the UN 1947 resolution ? Or the pre-1967 territory ? Or is it the totality of the Palestine ? Or what ?
What do we do with the people living there ?
Also, the Israelites are not the only People whose homeland was in this country of Canaan. Who are the descendants of the Canaanites ? There are many in the Middle East !
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We ought to remember what was the initial reasons why the idea of Zionism came about. The problem was AntiSemitism, in Europe and in Russia. This AntiSemitism went on and on and on for centuries. With discriminations, humiliations, violences, and even pogroms !
The theoricist of Zionism is Theodor Herzl: read his book in German ‘’Der Judenstaat’’ meaning ‘’State for the Jews’’. In German ‘’Jewish State’’ would be ‘’Jüdischer Staat’’. Herzl did not use this wording, as his book was about a Refuge State for the Jews from all over the world (mainly Europe & Russia where AntiSemitism had infested almost all countries).
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To me, it is useless to try to define if Zionism is right, or if it is wrong. We can’t expect a common understanding of Zionism. In my view, the only constructive approach is to identify the legitimate zionism, in regard to generally agreed common principles.
Here is my definition of Legitimate Zionism :
“Zionism is the spirit of the Political Project developped by Theodor HERZL (‘’Der Judenstaat’’), project which has been clarified, complemented and then validated by the International Community (in 1947), and which was subsequently implemented by the successive governments of Israel in compliance with International Law, Human Rights, and International Conventions.”
As a consequence, the Legitimate Anti-Zionism is :
“Criticism of rhetoric or actions of individuals/ structures which intervene (directly or not) and which contravene (or incite to contravene) to the letter or spirit of the definition of the Legitimate Zionism.”
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At this point, I would like to remind the Tony BLAIR speech to US Congress , july 2003 : « I want to be very plain: this terrorism will not be defeated without peace in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine. Here it is that the poison is incubated. »
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